The Dubai Health Authority (DHA) will introduce a bill of rights for patients that are being treated in Dubai. In case of medical malpractice, an e-investigation can be introduced that will allow the patient to file a complaint from his/her country.

Dr Layla Al Marzouqi at DHA, says: “Accountability and transparency are key to successful medical tourism and although we intend to keep medical errors at the lowest, in case of malpractice the patient should find it convenient to lodge his formal complaint electronically.”

The DHA has also introduced a medical insurance for international patients being treated in Dubai that will cover the cost of return flights, hotel expenses and the extra treatment if complications arise within one month of medical treatment.

The terrorist attacks in France have shocked us all. We hope and pray that those familes who have lost loved ones will find comfort during this heartbreaking tragedy. With heavy hearts we pray for peace and for the safety of our friends in Frances and for those affected by this horrific attack.

The Eiffel Tower remains dark tonight in memory of those who lost their lives.

Hi Tara - You and your entire staff (starting with my first interaction with Mary) did an excellent job coordinating the entire mission to Chennai. We were very pleased with Sue - low key, warm and very competent. Thanks again for making it all happen so smoothly.Sam

A giant thanks to you, your team and most especially Maureen for your work in getting my dad home. It's a profound relief that he is back in the US, reunited with my mom, and in the hands of the UCSF team. I deeply appreciate your assistance.

One of the reasons Sky Nurses is so great is because it has developed a broad range of services beyond traditional medical escort services. We are constantly improving our policies and procedures to meet the increased demands during a medical escort.

This article was published on May 2, 2015 in PulmCCM. PulmCCM is an online digest on pulmonary diseases.

Kids experiment with e-cigarettes (and are smoking less than ever)COPD, Lung Cancer, Policy, Ethics, EducationAdd commentsMay022015A new report from the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirms U.S. teenagers and pre-adolescents are experimenting with e-cigarettes in dramatically greater numbers. But mentioned almost as an afterthought in the scare pieces presented as public health stories: fewer kids are smoking deadly real cigarettes than ever before.E-cigarette use by students in junior high and high school tripled from 2013 to 2014, according to federal data -- with 13 percent of high school students reporting having used e-cigarettes. That's a lot of kids -- even more than smoke real cigarettes.The traditional media erupted with stories of this dangerous new trend, how nicotine damages the adolescent brain, etc., etc.But the bigger story: in the same report, the rate of cigarette smoking among high school students fell by almost half, from 16% to 9%. Use of cigars and pipes also fell.Kids seemed clearly to be choosing e-cigarettes over smoking: the largest drop in cigarette smoking (25%) came in 2013-2014, when e-cigarette use exploded.That trend blows smoke in the face of the fear-mongers in the public health community who have demonized e-cigarettes since FDA failed to ban them shortly after their introduction. Since then the Feds and their nonprofit allies have waged what sometimes seems like a "Reefer Madness"-style propaganda campaign against e-cigarettes, with shrill warnings outpacing evidence of health risks.“This is a really bad thing,” Dr. Thomas R. Frieden, the director of the C.D.C., told the New York Times. “This is another generation being hooked by the tobacco industry. It makes me angry.”FDA's tobacco division director Mitch Zeller warned "the progress we have made in reducing youth cigarette smoking rates is being threatened." But these emotional responses are premature, since no one knows if these kids will ever graduate from e-cigarettes to real cigarettes. So far, it looks like exactly the opposite is happening.Rather than being "a really bad thing," it might be kids experimenting with a new, edgy but relatively safe product that by preventing them from starting a lifetime of smoking while satisfying their need for rebellion, will eventually prove to be a tremendous boon to public health in coming decades.But the governmental health establishment (CDC, NIH, FDA, etc.) won't stomach "losing" to the tobacco industry in such an ironic way. By clinging to a utopian vision of no one anywhere consuming nicotine ever (or somehow achieving a legal ban), they fail at their most basic duty to the U.S. taxpaying public: to objectively study e-cigarettes' safety and provide the data so that consumers and policymakers can make informed, rational decisions.Instead, CDC misleadingly lists e-cigarettes in its press release in the same breath as cigarettes and hookahs as "nicotine products." CDC knows real tobacco smoke must be far more deadly -- killing 480,000 in the U.S. every year -- but cynically tries to reinforce the public's unfounded perception that e-cigarettes are just as dangerous:In 2014, the products most commonly used by high school students were e-cigarettes (13.4 percent), hookah (9.4 percent), cigarettes (9.2 percent), cigars (8.2 percent), smokeless tobacco (5.5 percent), snus (1.9 percent) and pipes (1.5 percent).E-cigarettes are a potentially hazardous consumer product that should be regulated and studied, with its real risks reported objectively based on real research. But NIH and CDC's political agendas won't permit that kind of rational response. Instead, data showing kids are smoking less than ever -- the best possible public health news imaginable -- gets spun as a health crisis. When the CDC director gets angry, the public gets propaganda we might as well start calling "Vaper Madness."

The TSA is advising that travelers who previously were opted in to PreCheck via a frequent flyer program will notice a reduction in how often they are chosen for PreCheck. To ensure eligibility on a consistent basis, travelers are encouraged to enroll in one of the DHS (Department Homeland Security) trusted travel programs. For more information . . .Transportation Security Administration

The MEA now offers a Certificate of Training in Medical Escort. This is a comprehensive course for clinicians that is interested in working in the Medical Escort industry. This is online self-paced curriculum-based certificate program and has been developed by active medical escorts.

Delta Air Lines and Virgin Atlantic Airways will expand their partnership between the U.K. and U.S. with the introduction of Delta’s nonstop service from London to Philadelphia.Starting on April 27, 2015 the daily service will be Delta’s eighth destination to the U.S. from Heathrow. By the summer, the partnership will offer 39 daily flights to 16 destinations across North America from the U.K.Philadelphia has important historical significance as the place where the Constitution and Declaration of Independence were signed. It is also the fifth most populous city in the United States.

Kaity has been with Sky Nurses since July 2013. She is not only a beautiful person on the outside but truly one on the inside. Her passion for nursing and travel has made medical escorts one of her most exciting careers. Kaity's most recent trip to Guatemala City, Guatemala. For her, this was by far the most touching trip. The patient and the family will always be in her heart.

Kaity makes people smile no matter where she goes.

"Here are some amazing pics from my journey today... This has been a very special trip.. I had the pleasure of taking care of one of the most amazing families I've ever met... The Guatemalan people are truly genuine... My pt arrived safe and sound to his homeland. I was greeted with his family in Guatemala with a handwoven blanket as a token of their thanks.... Such a heartwarming experience.. I am truly blessed."

Tara Rose coordinated this escort/flight with me. I could not be happier with the service she and Sky Nurses provided. Tara made this trip happen from the beginning, by coordinating with the medical staff, arranging short-notice ambulance escort on both ends of the flight, and personally overseeing the transfer to ensure equipment and personnel were right for the job. I cannot thank her enough for holding my hand throughout the process and making this trip a success. Because of her, our patient got his dying wish, to return home. I could not have flown this trip without Sky Nurses, and I am so thankful that I worked with Tara throughout. She was a Godsend!

Charlene was an angel! Our flight crew worked closely with her to transport a terminally ill patient home for his dying wish. We are not trained for this, nor is our aircraft equipped for this kind of trip. Charlene made all the difference! While there were many people involved in the logistics, Charlene focused on the comfort and safety of the patient, freeing us up to take care of the aircraft and other passengers. She was sincere, persistent, helpful, knowledgeable and flexible. She was exactly who we needed to make this flight successful. I cannot express how grateful I was to have her on board. The patient required far more active care than we could provide, but Charlene made it look easy. She escorted him from the hospital to the aircraft, cared for him throughout the flight, then escorted him to the hospital on the other end, ensuring a good handoff to the receiving team. I was very impressed with the end-to-end care and with Charlene's personal involvement. I cannot give a higher recommendation. She is literally a lifesaver, and I was very grateful to have her.

For people that are acutely ill and require a medical escort, Sky Nurses practices patient-focused care to meet patient needs more effectively and efficiently. This model of care emphasizes the physical, mental and emotional needs of the patient.

How does this occur?

Prior to the departure of the medical escort from his/her home, the Medical Management team will develop a plan of care for the patient. This team consists of the Medical Director, Medical Manager , Medical Escort and the Patient. The patient is the focal point of the plan, and therefore, he/she is consulted as part of the process. The goal is to execute a plan that best serves the patient's needs in successfully completing the medical transport.

I want to thank you so very much for all you have done to support me during this time - I understand that you were a strong advocate and support to getting me the help I needed while in Singapore. Teresa was a godsend to help me get home - having her made all the difference in my ability to safely make the trip and return home for appropriate medical treatment. Again, thank you so much. I will always remember and appreciate your work on my behalf.

Your service for me represented a knowledgeable, can-do, make-it-happen approach at a most difficult time. The strengths of the service are your abilities to make the arrangements and provide the personnel to accomplish the critical mission - getting the patient safely home.

Having the nurse made all the difference for me during my recent medical emergency while traveling abroad. Her work to complete a medical evaluation prior to the trip, reassure me that we were going to make it home all right, and ensure appropriate pain medications as well as monitor my condition during the lengthy flight, made ALL the difference in my ability to navigate the trip home. I could not have made the trip without her; it would have been impossible. She was competent, caring, and committed to me throughout the ordeal. I am blessed to have had her and have named her my 'guardian angel nurse.' I will always remember the positive difference that she made for me during a very rough time in my life. I am home and recuperating now; it will take some time, and I am so grateful that Teresa ensured my safe transport home.

Ebola virus disease (EVD), formerly known as Ebola haemorrhagic fever, is a severe, often fatal illness in humans.

EVD outbreaks have a case fatality rate of up to 90%.

EVD outbreaks occur primarily in remote villages in Central and West Africa, near tropical rainforests.

The virus is transmitted to people from wild animals and spreads in the human population through human-to-human transmission.

Fruit bats of the Pteropodidae family are considered to be the natural host of the Ebola virus.

Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. No licensed specific treatment or vaccine is available for use in people or animals.

Ebola first appeared in 1976 in 2 simultaneous outbreaks, in Nzara, Sudan, and in Yambuku, Democratic Republic of Congo. The latter was in a village situated near the Ebola River, from which the disease takes its name.Genus Ebolavirus is 1 of 3 members of the Filoviridae family (filovirus), along with genus Marburgvirus and genus Cuevavirus. Genus Ebolavirus comprises 5 distinct species:

Bundibugyo ebolavirus (BDBV)

Zaire ebolavirus (EBOV)

Reston ebolavirus (RESTV)

Sudan ebolavirus (SUDV)

Taï Forest ebolavirus (TAFV)

BDBV, EBOV, and SUDV have been associated with large EVD outbreaks in Africa, whereas RESTV and TAFV have not. The RESTV species, found in Philippines and the People’s Republic of China, can infect humans, but no illness or death in humans from this species has been reported to date.TransmissionEbola is introduced into the human population through close contact with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected animals. In Africa, infection has been documented through the handling of infected chimpanzees, gorillas, fruit bats, monkeys, forest antelope and porcupines found ill or dead or in the rainforest.Ebola then spreads in the community through human-to-human transmission, with infection resulting from direct contact (through broken skin or mucous membranes) with the blood, secretions, organs or other bodily fluids of infected people, and indirect contact with environments contaminated with such fluids. Burial ceremonies in which mourners have direct contact with the body of the deceased person can also play a role in the transmission of Ebola. Men who have recovered from the disease can still transmit the virus through their semen for up to 7 weeks after recovery from illness.Health-care workers have frequently been infected while treating patients with suspected or confirmed EVD. This has occurred through close contact with patients when infection control precautions are not strictly practiced.Among workers in contact with monkeys or pigs infected with Reston ebolavirus, several infections have been documented in people who were clinically asymptomatic. Thus, RESTV appears less capable of causing disease in humans than other Ebola species.However, the only available evidence available comes from healthy adult males. It would be premature to extrapolate the health effects of the virus to all population groups, such as immuno-compromised persons, persons with underlying medical conditions, pregnant women and children. More studies of RESTV are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn about the pathogenicity and virulence of this virus in humans.Signs and symptomsEVD is a severe acute viral illness often characterized by the sudden onset of fever, intense weakness, muscle pain, headache and sore throat. This is followed by vomiting, diarrhoea, rash, impaired kidney and liver function, and in some cases, both internal and external bleeding. Laboratory findings include low white blood cell and platelet counts and elevated liver enzymes.People are infectious as long as their blood and secretions contain the virus. Ebola virus was isolated from semen 61 days after onset of illness in a man who was infected in a laboratory.The incubation period, that is, the time interval from infection with the virus to onset of symptoms, is 2 to 21 days.DiagnosisOther diseases that should be ruled out before a diagnosis of EVD can be made include: malaria, typhoid fever, shigellosis, cholera, leptospirosis, plague, rickettsiosis, relapsing fever, meningitis, hepatitis and other viral haemorrhagic fevers.Ebola virus infections can be diagnosed definitively in a laboratory through several types of tests:

antibody-capture enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)

antigen detection tests

serum neutralization test

reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) assay

electron microscopy

virus isolation by cell culture.

Samples from patients are an extreme biohazard risk; testing should be conducted under maximum biological containment conditions.Vaccine and treatmentNo licensed vaccine for EVD is available. Several vaccines are being tested, but none are available for clinical use.Severely ill patients require intensive supportive care. Patients are frequently dehydrated and require oral rehydration with solutions containing electrolytes or intravenous fluids.No specific treatment is available. New drug therapies are being evaluated.Natural host of Ebola virusIn Africa, fruit bats, particularly species of the genera Hypsignathus monstrosus, Epomops franqueti and Myonycteris torquata, are considered possible natural hosts for Ebola virus. As a result, the geographic distribution of Ebolaviruses may overlap with the range of the fruit bats.Ebola virus in animalsAlthough non-human primates have been a source of infection for humans, they are not thought to be the reservoir but rather an accidental host like human beings. Since 1994, Ebola outbreaks from the EBOV and TAFV species have been observed in chimpanzees and gorillas.RESTV has caused severe EVD outbreaks in macaque monkeys (Macaca fascicularis) farmed in Philippines and detected in monkeys imported into the USA in 1989, 1990 and 1996, and in monkeys imported to Italy from Philippines in 1992.Since 2008, RESTV viruses have been detected during several outbreaks of a deadly disease in pigs in People’s Republic of China and Philippines. Asymptomatic infection in pigs has been reported and experimental inoculations have shown that RESTV cannot cause disease in pigs.Prevention and controlControlling Reston ebolavirus in domestic animalsNo animal vaccine against RESTV is available. Routine cleaning and disinfection of pig or monkey farms (with sodium hypochlorite or other detergents) should be effective in inactivating the virus.If an outbreak is suspected, the premises should be quarantined immediately. Culling of infected animals, with close supervision of burial or incineration of carcasses, may be necessary to reduce the risk of animal-to-human transmission. Restricting or banning the movement of animals from infected farms to other areas can reduce the spread of the disease.As RESTV outbreaks in pigs and monkeys have preceded human infections, the establishment of an active animal health surveillance system to detect new cases is essential in providing early warning for veterinary and human public health authorities.Reducing the risk of Ebola infection in peopleIn the absence of effective treatment and a human vaccine, raising awareness of the risk factors for Ebola infection and the protective measures individuals can take is the only way to reduce human infection and death.In Africa, during EVD outbreaks, educational public health messages for risk reduction should focus on several factors:

Reducing the risk of wildlife-to-human transmission from contact with infected fruit bats or monkeys/apes and the consumption of their raw meat. Animals should be handled with gloves and other appropriate protective clothing. Animal products (blood and meat) should be thoroughly cooked before consumption.

Reducing the risk of human-to-human transmission in the community arising from direct or close contact with infected patients, particularly with their bodily fluids. Close physical contact with Ebola patients should be avoided. Gloves and appropriate personal protective equipment should be worn when taking care of ill patients at home. Regular hand washing is required after visiting patients in hospital, as well as after taking care of patients at home.

Communities affected by Ebola should inform the population about the nature of the disease and about outbreak containment measures, including burial of the dead. People who have died from Ebola should be promptly and safely buried.

Pig farms in Africa can play a role in the amplification of infection because of the presence of fruit bats on these farms. Appropriate biosecurity measures should be in place to limit transmission. For RESTV, educational public health messages should focus on reducing the risk of pig-to-human transmission as a result of unsafe animal husbandry and slaughtering practices, and unsafe consumption of fresh blood, raw milk or animal tissue. Gloves and other appropriate protective clothing should be worn when handling sick animals or their tissues and when slaughtering animals. In regions where RESTV has been reported in pigs, all animal products (blood, meat and milk) should be thoroughly cooked before eating.Controlling infection in health-care settingsHuman-to-human transmission of the Ebola virus is primarily associated with direct or indirect contact with blood and body fluids. Transmission to health-care workers has been reported when appropriate infection control measures have not been observed.It is not always possible to identify patients with EBV early because initial symptoms may be non-specific. For this reason, it is important that health-care workers apply standard precautions consistently with all patients – regardless of their diagnosis – in all work practices at all times. These include basic hand hygiene, respiratory hygiene, the use of personal protective equipment (according to the risk of splashes or other contact with infected materials), safe injection practices and safe burial practices.Health-care workers caring for patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola virus should apply, in addition to standard precautions, other infection control measures to avoid any exposure to the patient’s blood and body fluids and direct unprotected contact with the possibly contaminated environment. When in close contact (within 1 metre) of patients with EBV, health-care workers should wear face protection (a face shield or a medical mask and goggles), a clean, non-sterile long-sleeved gown, and gloves (sterile gloves for some procedures).Laboratory workers are also at risk. Samples taken from suspected human and animal Ebola cases for diagnosis should be handled by trained staff and processed in suitably equipped laboratories.WHO responseWHO provides expertise and documentation to support disease investigation and control.Recommendations for infection control while providing care to patients with suspected or confirmed Ebola haemorrhagic fever are provided in: Interim infection control recommendations for care of patients with suspected or confirmed Filovirus (Ebola, Marburg) haemorrhagic fever, March 2008. This document is currently being updated.WHO has created an aide–memoire on standard precautions in health care (currently being updated). Standard precautions are meant to reduce the risk of transmission of bloodborne and other pathogens. If universally applied, the precautions would help prevent most transmission through exposure to blood and body fluids.Standard precautions are recommended in the care and treatment of all patients regardless of their perceived or confirmed infectious status. They include the basic level of infection control—hand hygiene, use of personal protective equipment to avoid direct contact with blood and body fluids, prevention of needle stick and injuries from other sharp instruments, and a set of environmental controls.For more information contact:WHO Media centreTelephone: +41 22 791 2222E-mail: mediainquiries@who.int

I came across this App during my research on Medical Tourism. TravelEmergency is your instant medical companion should you find yourself in an emergency or health crisis while traveling. Created by the editors at PATIENTS BEYOND BORDERS.

Sky Nurses uses key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure how well we are performing against targets or expectations. KPIs measure performance by showing trends to demonstrate that improvments are continuously being made. They enable Sky Nurses to manage, control and achieve patient care satisfaction.

In short, KPIs are?

Key = important goals in nursing that assist with care and treatment of patients during a medical escort. Focus on patient centered care.

Performance = the standard of care we want to achieve.

Indicator = elements of care we focus on to tell us if we are achieving the key goals.

KPIs also measure performance by comparing results against standards or other similar organizations. This helps Sky Nurses to improve the service that we provide by identifying where performance is at the desired level and also to identify where improvements are required.

KPIs that Sky Nurses continuously monitors are:

Consistent delivery of nursing care against the identified need of the patient.

Patient's confidence in the knowledge and skills of the nurse.

Patient's sense of safety during the medical escort.

Patient involvement in decisions made about his/her nursing care during the medical escort.

Respect from the nurse for patient's culture.

Top 2 Elements of Care:

Pain Management during a medical escort.

Communication between Clinician and Sky Nurses during a medical escort.

Happy Anniversary to Sky Nurses

Sky Nurses was established in April 2013 and commenced medical escort services on July 1, 2013. It’s official - Sky Nurses is now celebrating its One-Year Anniversary!!It has been a very successful year thanks to our loyal clients and the dedication, expertise and commitment of the Sky Nurses Team for each and every patient transport. We greatly appreciate your continued support and confidence.Sky Nurses looks forward to many more years of exceptional service and collaboration working with all of our clients and industry professionals.